Muggle Photographs
by Renting Harry
Summary: In the summer after HBP, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny must pick up where Dumbledore left off. But, when they begin finding disturbing photographs, everything changes...HG HR...Chapter 10: No Good Deed
1. Polaroid

Disclaimer: Hi, how are you. It don't own Harry Potter, no Money involved, Blah di Blah

Chapter 1: Polaroid

"What d'you reckon?"

Harry didn't have to ask what he meant.

He was standing in the middle of a suburban street with Ron on his left, and Hermione and Ginny on his right. Staring at a plain-looking suburban house. It was just past midnight when they had seen it from the Inn in the town. And it was not the first time they had seen it this summer.

"I think he knows we're on his tail" Harry turned to them. "If you don't want to come in…"

"You ask us that every time." Ginny said as she walked toward the house. "And every time we come in."

"I ask because it's dangerous, that's the dark mark up there!"

"We know Harry, we're coming." Hermione clutched his arm as they walked up the front steps and pulled the door open. Ron pointed his wand up at the mark and muttered "_Demordrum"_ and the skull with a snake in it's mouth began to fade.

"C'mon, let's split up." Harry suggested and they separated. Hermione climbed the squeaking stairs, and Ron opened the door to the basement before descending. Harry turned into the living room where there was a light on and discovered a copy of 1000 magical herbs and fungi laying open on the coffee table. "Well, damn….It was a wizard," He yelled to the others.

"Or a witch!" Ginny shouted back, causing Harry to chuckle.

Harry closed the book and looked over at the dusty fireplace. "Hang on…Guys come in here!" There were several pictures on the mantelpiece, one of which contained the smiling faces of Fred, George, and their friend Lee Jordan.

Ron and Hermione both came running into the room. "Have you found them?" Hermione asked.

"Look at this," He took the picture and showed them.

"You don't think…" Hermione started.

"Fred and George?" Ron interrupted. "You don't think…"

"I think this is Lee Jordan's Parent's House." Harry said.

"I think you're right" Ginny said as she came in the room. "I've found them."

She took them out of the lighted living room across the front hall and into the dining room. The chandelier light cast shadows on the terrified looks on the parents of Lee Jordan. Their meal still on the table, it seemed the Death Eater they'd been following had just barged in.

"My God." Hermione was holding what looked like a Polaroid. It was a picture. A Picture even Harry had trouble looking at. It was MacNair. The Death Eater who used to be an executioner at the ministry, he was sitting in one of their nice dinning room chairs eating their meal with their dead bodies sitting on chairs on either side of him.

"I think I'm going to vomit," Ginny ran out of the room. Harry took the picture and ripped it in half and tossed it in the garbage.

"Why would he do that?" Ron said.

"Because he wants us to follow him," Hermione said.

"He's giving us a message." Harry said.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Ron said.

"We keep following him…He's our only link." Harry told them.

"But…clearly Lord Slash-and-Burn knows," Hermione said.

"I'll," Ron cleared his throat. "Uh…Pig's back at the Inn. We can go send a message to Madam Leona."

"Who's Madam Leona?" Ginny asked as she returned from the bathroom.

"New head of Auror Office," Hermione Answered. "The Old one was under the imperious curse, He's in…uh…St. Mungo's."

"All right. Let's go." Harry said, leading Ginny out of the house."

"I'll never get used to this." Hermione said to Ron as she continued to stare at the deformed bodies of Mr. And Mrs. Jordan.

"Which is why we're here." He grabbed her hand and kissed her on the cheek. A Practice that had begun at their first murder scene of this little trip.

"We're still no closer to finding any of the Horcruxes." Hermione said.

"I know…We'll get there." Ron said.

"I hate this. Everything is so…different. Everyone's acting strangly. People are changing all around. I mean…look at you!" Hermione said.

"Me? What's wrong with me?" Ron said, surprised.

"No, I mean…You being with the actual comforting." Hermione said.

"What choice do I have?" He said. "We need to go get Pig. C'mon."

"When are you going to get a real owl?" Hermione said, smiling as they left the house.

"There's nothing wrong with pig!" Ron said, offended.

"He's a tiny little thing who can barely make it to London and back!" She said.

"London's far away!"

"We're in a suburb of London."

"Well, The weather's been off cause of all this Dementor crap….Besides I'm not the one with a murderous Cat!"

"We've been through this…" She said as they both walked up the lane smiling, leaving the two bodies in the lighted house behind them.

To be honest, Ron had noticed this change in himself also. Ever since he and Hermione had been going out, but even before that. These murder scenes, they were…disturbing. There was nothing that could move him more then the sight of the dark mark. Even though he was the only one who seemed to be able to use the 'demordrum' spell to get rid of them. And it all wasn't helped by what seemed like the endlessly unspeakably awkward perpetual double-date with him and Hermione and Harry and Ginny who had gotten back together during this trip.

"C'mon Ron! Hermione!" Harry called. "After we send Pig we've got to get moving!"

"I hate this, my sleep schedule is completely off." Ron said. "Why do these death eater types only move at night?"

"I think they may have outgrown the throwing-into-Azkaban that would happen if they wandered around while people were awake." Hermione laughed.

"I know, but it's annoying…Hey, look at that." They had caught up with Harry and Ginny and an Owl was flying down at them. It landed on Harry's shoulder and he took the letter from it's leg. Immediately he threw it on the ground and set it on fire with his wand.

"He better hope there's not a parchment shortage after all this!" Harry yelled as they continued walking.

"Scrimgeor again?" Hermione asked.

"Naturally." Harry said. "Is there something unclear about the word no?"

"No." Ginny said.

"Because, I don't understand how many times it will take."

"We're about to get the "Scrimgeor's an idiot" speech, better hang back." Ron said to Hermione, as they continued walked toward the inn.

"He's right though." Hermione said.

"Not in question," Ron responded.

"Have you ever seen the movie Star Wars?"

"I've never seen a movie, period." He said to her. "Why?" He asked suspiciously.

"Well in the movie…there's this president guy, who basically turns one of the main characters evil. It's very sad, I've been worrying about that, with the ministry and what not."

"That Scrimgeor's with Voldemort?"

"You said his name." Hermione turned to him, and smiled.

"Yeah, I did," He smirked. "Want to do something about it?" He asked playfully.

"They're almost sickening." Ginny said, looking back at the pair of them laughing and chasing each other in circles.

"No…It's good that they love each other. About time too." Harry laughed… "Listen, Ginny…"

"You don't need to explain anything to me." She said. "I know you love me. But, I know you need to defeat him. And You know I'll be with you, I'll do whatever you need, and when it's over, should we win, then we can really be together."

"Wow…" Harry looked surprised. "I mean…Wow…Exactly."

"I'm not stupid…" She smirked. "I can wait." She leaned over and kissed him.

"I do love you." He said to her.

"I know."

So…What do you think? Please Review. It'll get better, I've got this whole thing brewing. And If you review I'll know peeps are reading, therefore I'll keep writing. So Please R+R. Thanks! ITHBP

Chapter 2- McGonngal's Warning


	2. McGonnagal's Warning

Chapter 2- McGonnagal's Warning

There was no question that they had been traveling. Ron and Harry entered their room in the Inn where luggage was thrown everywhere, various books left out by Hermione and Ginny, who were in the room next to them. Clothes were draped over the edges of trunks, and it didn't help that the whole place smelled like Mrs. Figg's house on privet drive. Two Owls, a cat, and a small pink puff named Arnold had been traveling with them, and their cages were all adding to the now-familiar scent.

Ron quickly scrawled something on the back of notepad that had come with the room, and tied it to pig's leg. He sent it out the window just as they both heard a loud CRACK.

They spun around, wands drawn, too see Dobby standing on Harry's bed.

"Harry Potter!" He said.

"Dobby!" He said in surprise. "What is it?"

"It's Professor McGonnagal, she's sent me to fetch you."

"Why?" He asked.

"Dobby does not know, sir" He smiled. "But when I heard she wanted someone to fetch you I volunteered!"

"Yeah, thanks for that." Harry said.

"You're very welcome, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby, Must be going sir! There is a meeting of the Hogwarts elves tonight about whether or not to stay with the school with the recent demise of the headmaster."

"Thanks, Dobby," Ron said, Cutting him off and giving him a murderous look.

"Oh, I is sorry, Harry Potter." He said, and with a loud CRACK he vanished again.

"I…Sorry, Harry." Ron said. Harry was staring at the clock on the nightstand, not moving. He got tense whenever Dumbledore was mentioned, not Cedric-tense, but all quiet and motionless. There was a knock on their door. "I'll, just get that, then,"

He opened the door. "Did I hear someone apparating."

"Yes, Come in Hermione," He and Ginny followed Hermione into the room.

"It was Dobby, Professor, McGonnagal's sent for me." Harry said.

"She can't, It's One-thirty in the morning," Ginny said in protest.

"I know, I've got to go, I'll only be a minute." He walked over to Ginny kissed her forehead and said. "Promise you'll sleep tonight." She nodded. "All of you. I don't want my absence to mess things up, we still need sleep if we want to get back on MacNair's tail tomorrow night."

"Right, We'll sleep, Just come back soon." Ron said.

"Right, See you tomorrow morning," Harry said. And with a loud CRACK he vanished.

Even though he was a fully licensed apparater now, he still didn't particularly like it. He did prefer flying, but he also accepted that it was the fastest way to travel. And as he appeared in Professor McGonnagal's office, he was thankful that he had not flown, because it was raining as Harry had never seen it rain outside.

"Potter!" McGonngal noticed him. "I thought you might apparate so I had the blocks lifted until you got here."

He looked around what used to be Dumbledore's Office. Gone were the spinning silver instruments. Gone was Fawkes the Phoenix who, for so long had sung a tune whenever Harry was around. Gone was even the Penseive.

"Professor, what's happened to the Penseive?" He asked.

"Professor Flitwick currently has it. He believes he will be able to extract some of the important memories for…Well, I mean, they're all important, but some of his memories about Voldemort, and maybe give them to the Ministry to help them with their search."

"No."

"What did you say?" McGonnagal looked surprised.

"I'm…I'm going to need some of that." Harry demanded.

"For what?" McGonnagal inquired.

"For…Well, frankly…So I can kill Voldemort."

She did not flinch. She did not move. They both stared into each others eyes for a moment. She broke first and looked down at her desk.

"Where have you been?" She asked softly of him.

"I can't tell you that."

"Well, you DAMN well have to!" She turned to him, eye's wide with an angry, frustrated look on her face. He'd seen her furious before, but never really shouting.

"Professor. I'm going to tell you something right now."

She did not move except to survey him quickly.

"There's this prophecy…" he explained the entire contents of the prophecy that was made so long ago. He did not tell her who had heard the prophecy, nor who made it. But explained what Dumbledore had explained to him so many times, that now these events have been put in motion, and no matter what, they cannot be stopped, he must kill Voldemort.

"But…How?" She had sat down now, calm, but dumbfounded.

"I can't tell you that." He told her as she looked up again, as if she was about to start shouting.

"Harry." She said. This confused him, he'd always called him Potter. But then he realized this wasn't about him.

"You don't think I can do it."

"No"

"I can"

"You'll die."

"I won't"

"You'll fail"

"I can't"

"You'll make it worse"

"I won't"

"You will be responsible for the deaths of hundreds"

Harry looked over at Professor McGonnagal. Her face looked older. The lines were etched deeper, her clothes looked frayed, her eyes looked distant.

"You know that I'll kill him."

"Voldemort will…"

"Not Voldemort."

She looked up at him.

"Snape"

She looked down again.

"I know."

"You're scared for him."

"Yes" She said quietly. "I'm ashamed, but Severus was my friend, my colleague. I'm quite aware that he murdered Albus. But he should not die."

"He will."

"He must die in Azkaban"

"What Azkaban!"

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him again, astonished.

"The dementors are working for Voldemort! What's keeping Wizards in Azkaban!" Harry shouted, standing now.

"I…The…"She looked as though this had never occurred to her. "Well, I'm sure everyone's safe and sound. I'll look into it."

"Well. If that's all." Harry made to leave.

"It's not." She put her hand up. "I called you here because I received an interesting package in the mail. And I thought you should know about it, especially now that you're on this…crusade."

"What is it?" Harry asked her.

"A photograph." she answered. He sat back down at her desk as she began rummaging through a series of drawers. "Here,"

She handed to him, and Harry froze. It was a Polaroid. The same kind of picture that MacNair had left them at their last murder scene.

"I think it's from…well…You-Know-Who" She said.

"Why do you say that?" Harry flipped it over.

He gasped and dropped it at what he saw.

"Exactly" She murmured, in a voice that said without saying 'I told you so.'

He picked it up again, there was Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looking at a body. The man was a muggle named Morgan Havalard. He lived a few miles Outside Little Winging. That was Harry's birthday, he contacted the others and told him to meet him there. That was the day his protection stopped working. That was the last time he would ever see the Dursleys. It was that night, he went back, told his Aunt what was going on, packed a trunk and left. The others did the same, and they set off after an unknown death eater, who was now known to be MacNair.

"No."

"Sorry?"

"It was MacNair." He said.

"The Executioner?" McGonnagal said. "Listen Harry, where have you been? You and Miss Granger, and The Weasleys. What have you been doing?"

"This." He handed the picture to her.

"We've been Following MacNair. He took this picture. He took another picture tonight. Only he left that one for us."

"Of, What? What was in the picture? How do you know it's him?" McGonnagal sounded scared now.

"Him. He murdered Lee Jordan's Parents." Harry Said calmly.

"Goodness." She looked down at the photograph.

"The Picture he left." His eyes began to water. "It was of him. He was sitting…at their dinning room table…eating their food…"

"Potter," She sounded worried now.

"It's fine…He was…" He paused. "He had each of their bodies on either side. Dead…While eating their food."

"Potter," She was standing. She walked over to him and did something completely unexpected. She hugged him.

"Professor. I need to get back."

"I understand." She let go. "Ron's contacted the ministry about Mr. And Mrs. Jordan."

"Right, thank you Harry." His first name again. She raised her wand and muttered something under her breath. "You may apparate now." And with a loud CRACK, he vanished.

Ron was sitting at the desk. "Harry?" He turned away, and grabbed a tissue. He'd been crying.

"Ron, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Harry grumbled.

"No, It's fine." He looked over, a bit red in the eye area.

"I'm sorry, I'll just, go to sleep." He mumbled.

"No, It's fine," He said again. "What did McGonnagal want?"

"You know that picture…The one with the Jordan's in it." He asked.

"Yeah, Why?" Ron looked curious.

"She had one like it. But it wasn't the same." Harry said.'

"What?"

"She had another Polaroid picture, like the one we found, a muggle picture." Harry said.

"What was it?" Ron asked.

"It was us." Harry said. "MacNair took a picture of us."

"My God. Where?" Ron looked back at the box of tissues.

"Morgan Havalard's house. It was the four of us, looking at the body."

"That means…" Ron began.

"That he was there." Harry Finished. "That he was watching us doing our detective work….We're not tailing him." Harry picked up a pair of old socks and threw them hard at the wall. "He's tailing us."

"He's leading us somewhere." Ron said.

"It's a trap." Harry said. _And now it's time to walk into it._ He thought to himself. Ron turned off the light, and they both drifted off to sleep.

Next: The House of Smith


	3. The Secret Smith

Chapter 3: The Secret Smith

Ron was sitting at the desk. "Harry?" He turned away, and grabbed a tissue. He'd been crying.

"Ron, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Harry grumbled.

"No, It's fine." He looked over, a bit red in the eye area.

"I'm sorry, I'll just, go to sleep." He mumbled.

"No, It's fine," He said again. "What did McGonnagal want?"

"You know that picture…The one with the Jordan's in it." He asked.

"Yeah, Why?" Ron looked curious.

"She had one like it. But it wasn't the same." Harry said.'

"What?"

"She had another Polaroid picture, like the one we found, a muggle picture." Harry said.

"What was it?" Ron asked.

"It was us." Harry said. "Macnair took a picture of us."

"My God. Where?" Ron looked back at the box of tissues.

"Morgan Havalard's house. It was the four of us, looking at the body."

"That means…" Ron began.

"That he was there." Harry Finished. "That he was watching us doing our detective work….We're not tailing him." Harry picked up a pair of old socks and threw them hard at the wall. "He's tailing us."

"He's leading us somewhere." Ron said.

"It's a trap." Harry said. _And now it's time to walk into it._ He thought to himself. Ron turned off the light, and they both drifted off to sleep.

"Harry! HARRY! Wake up!"

"What, MacNair!" Harry sat up and clamored for his glasses.

"No, silly it's just me," Hermione was sitting at the end of his bed.

"Hermione!" He pulled the covers up over his bare chest.

"Ron told us what happened last night." She said.

"What time is it?"

"Nearly three o'clock. You've been sleeping for more then twelve hours. We thought we should wake you up." Hermione said. Ron was sitting on his bed.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked.

"In our room, she's packing." Hermione Answered.

"Packing?" Harry asked.

"We need to go. We think we know where MacNair is going." Hermione said.

"Where?" Harry asked. "Turn around, will you?" She did, as he quickly pulled on some pants and a shirt.

"You remember you told us about Hebzibah Smith?"

"The lady with Hufflepuff's Goblet?" Harry clarified.

"Yeah. She lived near hear. Only a few miles North." She said.

"I'm done, You think he's going there?" Harry said. Putting on the locket that he'd been carrying around.

"Why else would MacNair be here?" Ron said.

"Good point." Harry said.

"Alright, we go then." Harry said. "All got your brooms?" They nodded. They brought their stuff outside with their brooms and each disillusioned each other. Harry Quickly went and paid for the rooms and then rushed back out.

"Let's go then," They took off soaring through the air. He was home. He loved flying. He would miss Quiddich. Flying made him truly happy. The air rushed through his hair, his T-shirt flapping and his shoe laces flinging about, this was the life. This almost made him forget. Forget his mask. The mask he had to put on every day. The brave Harry, the one who wasn't afraid to face Voldemort…

Only about ten minutes later Ginny told them all to descend and they followed her outline down through a cloud which got them completely soaked, but it was pleasant on such a hot summers day. She landed, and they all followed suit. They found a small ally where they un-disillusioned themselves, and cast a muggle-repelling charm on their stuff.

"Which one is it?" Ron asked. But as they got onto the main street, the question answered itself. There was a pink house with Yellow siding. Two Badger statues guarded the front walk with garden gnomes dotting the gardens. The Mailbox was labeled smith.

"Her relatives must still live here." Ginny said. "I didn't expect that."

"Bloody…."

"What is it Hermione." She was point at the garden.

"Do you see who that is?" She pointed to the side garden where three boys were playing with a soccer ball.

"No," Ron Squinted.

"That's ZACARIUS SMITH!" Ginny shouted!

"Quiet, he'll hear you!" Hermione covered Ginny's mouth.

"We must have the wrong Smith, it's not exactly an uncommon name," Harry nodded.

"Oh, shit." Ginny swore. "I'm sorry, I though…I just assumed…"

"It's fine." Harry said. He paused. "Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"Is there a such thing as a locating spell?"

"You're just thinking of this now?" Ron said, sitting on a park bench next to Hermione. The four of them had gathered at a table in the park with a map on it, which Ginny had gone and bought at a gas station.

"It's powerful magic, Ronald." Hermione said.

"And even if we did think of it, we couldn't do it until now." Ginny said. "And, you know, it might not even work now."

"Well," Hermione pointed he wand at the picture of MacNair and the dead Jordans. "We're about to find out." She closed her eyes. "_Hallero!"_ Her wand tip glowed, and as she pulled it away, a golden thread seemed to appear from the photo.

"Nice," Ron said.

"Hang on," Hermione said. She dropped the thread onto the map. It twitched for a moment.

"Damn." She said. "Something's gone wrong…Sorry Harry. The Photo must not be a powerful enough object."

"Bloody Hell!" They all jumped back from the table as the map burst into flames. The edges curled up and the gold thread wrapped itself around the flaming map until it became round. It rose up in the air, and then sped off.

"Oh, F-" Ginny started, but they were off. They each grabbed their packs and tore off after it.

"Terrorists!" One muggle screamed as they all ran, trying to keep up with the ball. Hermione leaned down, her hands on her knees.

"You keep going!" Ron shouted to Ginny and Harry. "We'll catch up!"

They began to run out of breath too as the ball whizzed passed shops, through muggle areas, and finally back into residential areas.

"How far can this thing last?" Ginny shouted.

"No Idea!" Harry responded, truthfully.

"Hang on!" Ginny Shouted. The ball had stopped, it was shimmying around in circles back in front of the Pink Smith house.

"You don't think…" Ginny said.

"He can't have come here, can he?" Harry said, unsure.

The ball's flames got larger and then engulfed the whole map and it disintegrated before their eyes.

"Oi!" the Front door of the Ugly Pink and yellow Badger-house flew open and out came Zacarius smith. "What are you two doing here! Get…Get off my property!"

"Uh…" They both stammered.

"What was that…that flaming ball thing?" He walked down the steps.

"Locator spell," Ginny answered.

"Who were you…You weren't locating me were you?" Smith said.

"Listen, I think you're in danger. We've been…" Harry looked at Ginny.

"We've been following a Death Eater." Ginny finished.

"A Death Eater?" Smith said. "No, That can't be. You're tricking me."

"No, we…We think he's got the wrong house, he's looking for a different Smith, we fell for it too. But, I think you may be in danger!" Harry said.

"No, You idiot, we can't talk about this here!" Smith Gestured for them to come inside.

"What's this about a death eater?" Smith said.

"Are your parents home?" Harry asked.

"No, they're out." Smith said. "Why? There's never been any Death Eater activity here, not even…you know 16 years ago."

"Well, there is now." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"There was a murder, about 10 miles south of here." Harry said.

"A Murder?…And you're sure it was a Death Eater?" Smith said, astonished. They all sat down in his living room, which was also pink with yellow furniture.

"Yes, We've been following him." Harry said.

"Why?" Smith said. "Why not report him to the ministry."

"Because he wants us to follow him, and if we report him, we'll lose him." Harry said, without thinking.

"What?" Smith said. "What, do you make it a practice to track Death Eaters? I've heard a lot of rumors about you, but…"

"Please," Ginny said. "Do you know of any other smiths in the area?"

"No," he answered.

"What's with all the badgers?" Harry inquired.

"Badgers?" Smith looked around. There were several Badger statues and figurines all around the room.

"Oh, well, My whole family's been in Hufflepuff, and well, They were my Great Aunt Hepzibah's…"

"Hepzibah?" Harry said. Both he and Ginny stood up. "Hepzibah Smith?"

"Damn," Ginny said. "It all fits, doesn't it."

"That means…" Harry began.

"Neither of us has the wrong house!" Ginny finished.

"Okay, Smith. I know this sounds crazy, but you're in danger." Harry said.

"What do you mean?" He looked more disgusted then shocked.

"I mean, You've got a death eater looking for you!" Harry yelled.

"Harry!" He heard Hermione's voice outside. He walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hermione!" he yelled out the door. She and Ron came toward the house.

"What's going on?" Ron said.

"Is this Hepzibah's house after-all?" Hermione asked.

"How do you know about my Aunt too?" Smith asked.

"His aunt?" Ron looked bewildered.

"His Great Aunt was Hepzibah Smith. Hence the Badgers." Ginny filled them in.

"Okay," Harry Spun around and grabbed the shoulders of Zacarius Smith. "I know we don't particularly like each other."

"That's and understatement," Both Ron and Smith said at once.

"…But that's irrelevant now." Harry continued, ignoring them. "Just trust me when I say you're in danger!"

"Holy God!" Hermione jumped behind Ron as a huge red ball blasted through the living room window. Knocking over the badgers and ripping up the furnature.

"No need to tell me twice!" Smith made for the door.'

"No!" Harry said. "Upstairs!"  
They ran upstairs as another red blast cam through the kitchen window. The five of them all ran up the stairs and through the yellow hallway into the lavatory at the end.

"Can you two apparate?" Hermione asked quietly as another blast came through the windows downstairs.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ginny said.

"What's going on? What's he doing to my house!" Smith shouted.

"Smith! You git! Can you apparate!" Ron said punching the boy on his shoulder.

"Yes, I'm fine! Where!" He shouted over a loud crash downstairs.

"The Park!" Harry screamed and with a loud CRACK they all vanished.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" They all appeared suddenly around the same table they'd been at before.

"That was a Death Eater, named MacNair," Hermione Explained.

"Death Eaters? Here?" Smith sat down, looking dumbfounded.

The sun shown down through the trees and a light breeze was blowing the tops about. The warm weather seemed to mock them in the desperate time. In fact, Harry looked up at the sky, and realized that it was the first time in more then a year he'd seen the sun.

"Well, What do they want?" Smith asked.

"Your great Aunt was distantly descended from Helga Hufflepuff did you know that?" Hermione inquired.

"Yes, of Course, why did you think she collected the Badgers?" He said.

"At one time in her life, she possessed two very powerful magical objects." Harry said.

"Two very old objects." Hermione continued for him.

"A Goblet and a Locket." Harry said.

"Hufflepuff's Goblet, and Slytherin's Locket." Hermione said.

"Yes, I know," He said still looked bewildered. "What does that have to do with…"

"But they were stolen weren't they?" Harry asked. "Right after her death."

"Yes, But…" Smith started.

"We think Voldemort Wanted them," Ron said.

"Don't say his name here!" Smith stood up. "For What? What did he want them for?"

"We don't know," Ginny said, unflinchingly. Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

"Clearly we were right though," Ron said.

"He did want them," Hermione finished.

"Well…Well…What now?" Smith stammered.

"Go find your parents," Harry said. "It would be a good idea for you to get away from here."

"Right," Smith breathed. "I'll go do that." And with a soft POP, he vanished.

"What about us, Harry?" Ron asked.

"What?" He said, turning to look at Ron. "Oh…I think we should get out of here too."

"We'll lose our tail on MacNair," Ginny said calmly.

"I know." Harry said. "This isn't getting us anywhere."

"I just wish Dumbledore could have left a hint of…" Hermione stopped. "Oh…I'm so sorry."

"Listen," Harry interrupted. "Let's just get back to your parents house Ron."

"Okay," Ginny and Ron said.

"What will we do there?" Hermione asked. "Bill and Fleur are in France again, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley have been working for the order around the clock, Fred and George are in Diagon Ally, and Charlie's in America doing who knows what!"

"Charlie's in America?" Harry said. "When did this happen?"

"Oh, Sorry, Last night when you were at Hogwarts. We got an Owl, There's a dragon loose on Chicago and they've been having trouble tracking it, so they brought in Charlie and some of his crew." Hermione told him.

"Listen," Harry said. "Lets just go." He Disapparated.

"I hate it when he does that." Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and they Disapparated together, Ginny followed.

Chapter 4- Tortured Eyes


	4. Demordrum

When they apparated into the Weasley's living room, it looked the same as when they left "It looks the same," Harry said.

"No one's been here…" Hermione said.

"Where is everyone?" Ginny asked. "Mum! Dad!" She looked up the stairs. "Has no one been home since we've gone?"

"Seems like it," Ron said.

"Well, It's a place to stay the night at least…" Harry said.

Later that night, Ginny had gone to sleep, and Harry was looking through some of Hermione's book. A Practice she scorned, but Harry couldn't help himself. He had been looking obsessively for the identity of R.A.B. While Ron and Hermione were talking by the fire. "Hang on….HERE! RAB"

"Really?" They both got up and ran across the room.

"Oh…It's just a constellation." Harry said downheartedly.

"That's an astronomy book Harry," Hermione laughed.

"Well, He's exhausted all the others," Ron said.

"I don't have much to go on!" Harry shouted.

They both backed away as though he was going to relapse into one of his shouting fits.

"I'm sorry." He said, they both eased up. "It's just, I've got absolutely nothing on that front, or the Horcrux front, or anything else."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other.

"What?" He asked, almost frightened.

"Well, We wanted to discuss something with you, but…it's just…now doesn't seem like an exemplary time." Hermione stuttered.

"Just say it," Harry said, exhausted.

"Well, It's nearly September."

"And you want to go back to school." Harry said.

"Yes." Ron said.

"Go," Harry responded.

"But…" Hermione began.

"I don't want you lot in danger anyway. You'll be safer at Hogwarts." Harry said.

"Right, because Malfoy proved that last year." Ron said sarcastically.

"I knew you were going to go back," Harry said. "I'm fine with it, really."

"We…Don't even know if the school's going to reopen yet. No decision's been made…There's going to be some kind of meeting in the next week or so, it's been up for debate all summer." said Hermione.

"Listen," Harry said. "You need to finish school. I understand that."

"I think…" Ron began. "I'm just gonna send an owl to Mum, tell her we're alright."

"Pig's still gone, Ron. Use Hedwig," Harry suggested.

"Thanks," Ron said.

Harry tossed and turned that night. He was thinking about RAB, About the Horcruxes, about the Smith's and their ruined house, and about Hedwig off in the middle of nowhere, trying to find Mrs. Weasley. There was a tap on the window and Harry looked up. Surprised, there was an Owl hovering outside with a newspaper in it's talon. He put on his glasses and realized it was already starting to get light. Was it that early already? Had he been awake all night? This must be the owl bringing the Daily Prophet.

He let it in and took the paper. Slipping a broze Knut into the pouch, the owl hooted softly and then flew off again. He couldn't believe it. There was nothing! Nothing about the attacks on the Smiths or the Murder of the Jordans. Harry wondered for a moment how Lee had taken the news…If he even knew.

No.

Not now. Not Here. He squinted out the window and clearly saw the Dark Mark hovering about a house in the town.

"RON!" He pounded on Ron's door. Ron groggily opened it.

"What is it, Harry?" Ron asked.

"We have to go. The Dark Mark," He pointed out of Ron's Window and he squinted too.

"Damn." Ron said.

"Get Dressed." Harry ordered and ran downstairs to wake up Ginny before going to get Hermione.

"Hermione!" He knocked on her door and she answered immediately.

"Look at this," She gestured to the paper.

"I saw the paper," He said irritably.

"No, This," She unfolded the paper and there was yet another picture inside. Another Polaroid.

Harry reached out and grabbed the photo and looked at it. It was MacNair again. He was still…He was standing outside the Burrow.

"We need to go!" Harry said. "Pack up, I've just seen the Dark Mark, and clearly he knows where we are now."

He went back upstairs and told Ron and Ginny about the picture. They quickly obeyed him and each packed some new things. Harry returned to his room and grabbed his trunk and his broom. They couldn't use the brooms now though.

"Ron," Harry asked a few minutes later when they had all packed are were ready to go. "Can you get us there, I don't want to risk using the brooms at this time of day."

"Of course, I know where it is." Ron responded, grimly.

They set off quickly, led by Ron. They walked through a small forest until they reached the Town Square and jogged across it. They reached another residential area with no one saying a word.

"Nearly there," Ron called. They could see the Dark Mark.

The house was part of a development, all the houses looked the same. "Ugly Cookie-Cutter House" Aunt Petunia used to call them, Harry thought. The only distinguishing factor with a great amount of Ivy growing on the side of the house.

Ron Muttered "_Demordrum"_ and the dark mark vanished as usual. "What do you reckon?"

Harry didn't have to ask what he meant. It was the same every time. Ron on this left, Ginny and Hermione on his right. He turned around.

"Listen, If you guys don't want to…" Harry started.

"Stop asking that, you prat," Ron spat at him. They both laughed, and Harry led the way up to the house. He pushed the door and it opened freely as they always did. He went upstairs as the others looked around the house. The house had several lights on, meaning that the murder probably occurred last night. He looked in the bedroom. It was covered in ugly purple wallpaper. Thinking it was probably a woman who lived here, he looked around some more. He checked in another bedroom. Both this bed and the woman's looked as though they'd been slept in.

"Found Her!" Hermione's voice came.

Harry journeyed back downstairs and saw immediately where they were, the living room. The woman was lying flat on her back.

"Look for an ID," Harry said. Ron reached into her pocket and found a wallet.

"Here," He took it out and found a picture ID. "Dawn Orva," He said. "Red Hair, Blue eyes, 187 Pounds, Single…"

"Single?" Harry interrupted.

"Yeah…Why?" Ron asked.

"Two of the beds upstairs have been slept in." Harry responded.

"Well that doesn't mean anything. Does it?" Ginny said.

"I think he needed a place to stay," Harry said.

"You don't think he just…" Hermione began.

"Of Course I think he just," Harry said. "Damn," He kicked the coffee table in Fury. "Okay. We've got to go to…" He had almost said 'Number 12 Grimmauld Place' But realized that MacNair May be there. "To…Order Headquarters…Everyone okay to apparate?"

They generally chorused "Yes" and with a loud CRACK they Disapparated.


	5. Murio Crux

Murio Crux

Seconds later they reappeared in front of a dingy old house in which Harry's Godfather used to live. Together they entered the house. Knowing better then to speak in the front hall, the group crept passed a set of tattered old curtains and into the Kitchens.

"HARRY! RON! HERMIONE! GINNY!" Mr. Weasley jumped up from the table and embraced them all in a gigantic group hug. "Molly! They're here!" He yelled. "My God where have you been, we've been so worried."

It looked as though Arthur had been eating breakfast, there was toast on the table and pancakes cooking on the stove. A Copy of the daily prophet lay open and forgotten amidst the food. Mrs. Weasley ran into the room.

"Oh, Dears!" She hugged Ron First, then Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. "Where have you been? We've been beside ourselves!"

"We…" Hermione started but before they had a chance to explain, Hagrid, Tonks, Lupin, and Mad-Eye all entered the room as well.

"Blimey, Harry," Hagrid said. "You best not do that again, it's only thanks to Professor McGonnagal we knew you lot were alive!"

"C'mon," Mad-Eye gestured for them to sit down. "What's been going on?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all sat around the breakfast table, and told them all that had happened the past month. After Bill and Fleur's wedding they had taken off with the news of a body being discovered in an ally. And since then they had been tracking a Death Eater who seemed to be going some where without magic on Voldemort's orders, Or as Hermione Referred to him "Lord Murder-All"

"Must you keep doing that?" Ginny asked. "It sounds like you're selling a cleaning product 'It murders all the dust in an instant'" She said in a Mock-Announcer Voice. But she was right, Hermione had diverted to calling Voldemort odd names whenever she talked about him.

"The Jordans," Lupin sat back. "I never met them, but I taught Lee."

"We tried to contact Leona, at the ministry, but we haven't heard back yet," Ron said.

"Oh, Hedwig is here, By the way, Harry. We've been looking after her," Tonks informed him.

"Thank you, very much," Harry said. It was all he could muster. Being here. In this house. It made him want to throw up. It was too off. Too fit for living. Not like it had been when Sirius…

"I'm sorry you had to see all this." Lupin said, as he stood up. "You really are a part of this now, aren't you?" He smiled and looked down at Harry who was avoiding his gaze.

"L…listen," Mrs. Weasley was shaking. "Y…You all should get some…some rest…We…we're going to the…um…meeting tonight with the…the school governors…they…um…they're deciding what to…do…with… the…um…the school…Hogwarts." She said all of this very slowly.

"Mum?" Ron said. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Fine." She said suddenly smiling. "W…Would you like to come with us?"

"Sure," Harry said.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione.

Although it was midday now, it was dark outside. Harry and Ron were both enjoying a nap. Or at least Ron was. Harry was staring at the ceiling. Not thinking at all. He was still fully clothed, and didn't even realize it until the fake horcrux slid down his neck onto his side. He sat up and pulled off the locket, placing it on the nightstand between his and Ron's beds. He heard a door slam downstairs. Realizing what time it was he looked over at the clock and saw it was 2:30. Only 2:30? How could it only be 2:30. He looked back up at the ceiling and heard another door slam one level below.

"Tonks, dear, what are you looking for?" He heard Mrs. Weasley say.

Their door suddenly opened and Tonks and Mrs. Weasley stood in the door. Ron awoke with a start and Harry looked up.

"What?" Ron said, stupidly.

"What's wrong?" Harry swung his legs over the side of his bed.

"Nothing, I'm just looking for…" Tonks began. She stopped and walked over to the nightstand. "Is this…" She eyed it for a moment with gluttonous eyes. "Oh, This is the fake Horcrux, is it?" She seemed disappointed.

"Yes, What?" Harry said, confused.

"What are you looking for dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked again.

"It must be upstairs…." Tonks said, ignoring them. She left the room quickly. Ron pulled on a shirt and he, Harry, and Mrs. Weasley followed.

"What are you looking for?" Ron asked.

They entered the drawing room and Tonks started looking through drawers.

"It must be in here somewhere," She told herself.

"What, What is it you're looking for, we can help you!" Mrs. Weasley said, sounding frustrated now.

"Oh…Here it is," She pocketed something and then walked past them.

"What?" Harry pestered. "What?" She completely ignored them as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Really," She picked up her bag. "I must be going."

"Wait, what is that? Why are you acting this way?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"_Accio_!" Tonks' hand flew open and a gold chain flew out of it.

For a moment no one moved.

Harry stared at what she had been holding. The other three started at Harry.

"_STUPEFY!"_ Harry yelled and a red light shot out of his wand and hit Tonks square on the chest. She fell backward onto the tile.

"HARRY!" Mrs. Weasley, yelled, pink in the face, but also scared and surprised.

"What the Hell was that?" Ron asked, looking stunned.

"It's the locket!" Harry held out the Horcrux. The True Horcrux. The One that Dumbledore had died to get.

"Horcrux?" Mrs. Weasley looked confused. "What is a Horcrux?"

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry turned to her, and put his hands on her shoulders. "I need you to take Tonks to Saint Mungos. She's been imperiused. Ron," He turned to Ron, now. "Wake Hermione and Ginny, We're leaving." He nodded and went back upstairs.

"What? You cannot, leave again, you do not have my permission!" Mrs. Weasley grabbed Harry's Arms Violently. "You tell me what's going on, NOW!"

"I can't," Harry said calmly, clutching Slytherin's locket in his hand.

"What do you mean you can't!" Mrs. Weasley looked more angry then Harry had ever seen her before.

"Dumbledore!"

There was silence.

Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry. "What?"

"Dumbledore and I," He began. "Last year. We figured out how do stop him."

"What?" She sat down, and now looked dumbfounded, and almost sorrowful.

"We know how to do it. And so does Ron, and Ginny, and Hermione." He continued. "But I can't tell you, or anyone else, Dumbledore forbade it."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "Stop him how? What is going on? Where have you been going? Why are you leaving now? What is that necklace?"

"I cannot tell you Mrs. Weasley. But, we have to go." Harry said.

"No…No, you are not leaving!" She said.

"I need you to take Tonks to St. Mungo's. Please Mrs. Weasley." He got up, she did too. He embraced her in a hug. "I love you, Mrs. Weasley. You've been like a mother to me since I was eleven. I have fought Voldemort several times, and I'm still alive. I need to kill him. I _need _to kill him. Dumbledore understood this. So together we discovered how to do it. Now I need you to understand."

He let go and she looked up at him with a fearful look on her face. A tear dripped down her pink face.

"Harry, What's going on?" Hermione came down the stairs, luggage in hand, followed by Ron.

Harry held out the locket.

"Oh my god." Hermione said. "What's happened? How did you get it?"

Mrs. Weasley backed up against the wall allowing Ron and Hermione to come and examine the necklace. The locket that meant so much more then she could realize.

"Harry?" Ginny came down and saw the locket. "You've found it! But where?…Tonks!" She ran to Tonks side.

"NO!" Harry said, and Ginny stood up quickly. "She's been imperiused."

"Oh, Lord. Was that…here?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded.

"Listen," Ron walked over to Mrs. Weasley. "Mum, we've got to…" But before he could finish Mrs. Weasley embraced him and began sobbing wildly. She grabbed Ginny too and they stood in the corner with Ron and Ginny standing awkwardly and Mrs. Weasley crying her eyes out. Hermione offered her a tissue but she grabbed Hermione as well. Harry walked over and handed her a tissue. She took it, let them go and wiped her eyes.

"I…I don't like it," She said, cleaning up her tears. "But, I understand….You…all of you…listen to me…be careful…promise me." They nodded.

"I just need you to take Tonks to St. Mungos' before she wakes up." Harry said.

Mrs. Weasley nodded, clutched Tonks' hand and with a soft POP they both vanished.

"Hermione," Harry said. "You've got the potion right. The one you found in Dumbledore's Books?"

"Yeah." Hermione said. "I'll get on that." she waved her wand and a door appeared. The door that stored most of Her and Harry's earthly possessions, and a lot of Dumbledore's. Various things that were not left in his will that they had round up from hi office, hoping they would come in handy for Voldemort Research. Hermione had been fascinated by a lot of them. Telling them not even the restriction section had such material. In only one book she had found a mention of Horcruxes, and it was a potion, a potion to purge the item of the soul piece, and in the end destroying the Horcrux. It did not, as Hermione frequently mentioned, actually talk about the technicality of how a Horcrux worked, or anything that could help them understand it.

"How long?" Harry asked.

"Only a couple of hours." She responded. "If I get some help it'll go faster."

"What do you need?" Harry asked. Hermione started spitting out several ingredients, all of which they found easily in the cupboards around Grimmauld Place. Harry set the Locket on the table, and went to grab a jar of Lacewing flies.

"It's strange how common these ingredients are." Hermione said. "It really reminds you just how magically potent they can be."

It didn't take long at all to get the silver tar-like substance described in the book. It wasn't bubbling as much as Hermione would like, but it would do.

It was now 4:15, and Mrs. Weasley still had not returned from St. Mungo's, nor had anyone else from the order come to call. Hermione pulled out her wand and muttered "_Murio Crux"_ and the cauldron's silver tar congealed into an almost solid form.

"Alright, give me the locket." She said.

Ginny reached over and picked the light off the table, and suddenly an earsplitting scream echoed through the room. Ginny's eyes had rolled back into her head, and the hand in which she held the Horcrux was shaking. She fell out of her chair, as the others ran to her. Her body was twitching and twisting as though she had been put under the imperious curse. Tears flowed from her eyes, but none of them could think what to do. Harry grabbed her hand and pulled the Horcrux away, dropping it back on the table.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron knelt down and checked Ginny's pulse. "She's alive."

She coughed once and then opened her eyes. "What was that?" She tried to stand up, but Harry knelt down and held her down, leaning her up against a cabinet.

"Don't try to get up." Harry said. "What did you see?"

"See?" Hermione and Ron asked.

"Voldemort." Ginny responded. "It was, Tom Riddle, His sixteen year old self. I saw, Slughorn, and flashes of Dumbledore, and the old headmaster. There was an old man in a house. He had a ring. There were, there was…An old lady with the locket, she was fat, and blond, and she had Hufflepuff's cup too."

"Hebzibah. Hepizibah Smith." Harry said.

"Yeah…" Ginny stuttered. "There was…some old man. I don't know who he was. And, Uncle Gideon, and Uncle Fabian. Flashes of Voldemort. He was killing."

There was silence.

"Those must have been the murders. The ones he used to make the Horcruxes." Harry said.

"What?" Ron said.

"Ginny," Hermione said. "She must have some…connection with the Horcruxes."

"What?" Ron and Ginny both said at once.

"When Riddle's diary was possessing her," Harry said. "Some…must still be…leftover in there."

"We've got to destroy it." Ron said. They all stood up, Ginny looking a bit dizzy.

"Harry, you do it," Hermione picked up the Horcrux and handed it to Harry.

"Yeah, Thanks." Harry walked over to the cauldron.

With the other three surrounding the table he let the Locket dangle from his hand, before dropping it into the potion. The silver liquid bubbled and rumbled. The table began to shake and the chain started vibrating as it was slowly engulfed by the potion. The locket broke open and suddenly set on fire. The locket became completely engulfed in the silver potion.

"Is is gone?" Ron said, as he stared talking toward the table.

The Potion exploded and splurted silver goo all over the kitchen.

"Guess so,"

Hermione reached into the cauldron and pulled out the chain.

"Well lets see if this worked." she said.

"Hang on, I thought this thing was supposed to destroy it." Ron said.

"Not to destroy it… to purge the item of the soul piece." Hermione held out the chain. And Without waiting for instruction Ginny grabbed the locket…

Nothing happened.

"It's gone, there's no more of him in there anymore." She said.

Next: Confronting the Faceless


	6. Just One Man

Chapter 6

Just One Man

August was coming to an end. Harry stared up at the ceiling of the Hotel in London in which they were staying that night. He was about to lose Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. He had hoped to be slightly further a long in their attempt to find and destroy the Horcruxes. Ron was at the desk, writing in a notebook of some kind which he frequently kept with him ever since the beginning of the summer. Ginny was sitting next to Harry watching the Muggle news, and Hermione was reading one of Dumbledore's books on the sofa.

"What about My house?" Hermione looked up from her book "Ancient Magics of the Chinese."

"What?" Harry asked.

"My house, we could head there, for the last few days of August. School starts in Two days, Harry, I'll need some things, I can't just go to school with what I have here." She said.

"Yeah," Ron said. "That's true.

"How would we explain this to them?" Ginny looked down at Harry, smiled and began to run her fingers through his messy black hair.

"Do they know who Voldemort is?" Harry asked.

"Not entirely…" Hermione said.

"What do you mean 'not entirely'?" Ron asked. "You've never told them, what about protection?"

"Before we left, I used every spell I knew to keep our house safe!" Hermione said. "If they knew, I wouldn't be here…"

"So we can't go back to your house…" Harry said. "You all will just have to pop back to your houses, get what you need, and then go to king's cross."

"I suppose. I just hate being in these places," Hermione said. "Hotel Beds are just…icky."

"Icky?" Ron said, amused at her use of the word.

"Clearly we've got no choice." Harry said. "It's not safe at the Burrow, it's clearly unsafe at #12 Grimmauld place if there's Horcruxes and imperiused people there. And we certainly can't go to the Dursley's.

"I need to get my own place," Harry said. "An Apartment, settle down. A Place to go during these times."

"I think that's a good idea," Ginny said, smiling. There was a long pause as Hermione went back to reading, and Ron to his writing. "Listen, I'm sorry,"

"You can't leave school. You have to go." Harry said, dismissively.

"I know, but I feel guilty, leaving you here alone. We've been eating up your money very fast, and you can't continue to live in hotels and…"

"It's fine Ginny." He sat up. "Listen, I need to talk to McGonnagal about something, So I'm going to take the train with you on Monday. Then I'll go, spend a night in Hogsmeade or something, and then try to find an apartment. And I can use my spare time, trying to figure out where the hell the others ones are."

"We'll be there Harry. Every Weekend. I'll be able to get my apparition license soon, and me, and Hermione, and Ron we'll be there to help with whatever you need, every chance we get."

"I know."

September arrived in a wave of wind and rain. The Scarlet Hogwarts Express chugged it's way out of Kings Cross station and Through the Countryside. It was not the usual journey, people came in and out of the cabin frequently telling stories of the meeting that Mrs. Weasley had offered to take them to before they had been detained. How it had been Hagrid who made the winning argument that Hogwarts should stay open. People mostly left them alone after a short conversation, never sitting down. Even Neville and Luna who seemed to have gotten together over the summer. Mostly people seemed to be afraid to talk to him. After Dumbledore's death and it had become common knowledge that Harry did not intend to finish his schooling.

As he walked down the train to find a cabin, he noticed that several slytherins had been pulled out of the school, no doubt on the order of Voldemort. Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, and Parkinson had all vanished.

Day turned into night, and night into evening as the uneventful trip came to and end. Harry saw the castle in the distance. But was not happy. He was not excited like usual. The Castle looked out of place. A blemish on the rolling hills. Hogwarts was not his home anymore. The thought struck him suddenly. This was not where he was most happy, as it had been for six years. This was now a place of sorrow. A large obtrusive building full of boredom and despair.

Hermione caught his eye looking at Hogwarts in a way that he never had before. They stared at each other for a moment, then looked away. He knew that she was feeling the same way. Hogwarts without Dumbledore. Hogwarts was not his home. Nor, did it seem to him, that it ever had been.

The train came to a screeching halt in the Hogsmeade station. Without a word the four of them made their way up to the Carriages pulled by thestrals, and up to the castle.

The rain poured down hard on their heads, as they dismounted and made their way into the castle. Into the great hall.

Everything felt wrong. He had not known what to expect, the castle should be different. But floating candles still shed light, the normality was overwhelming.

"Potter!" He made his way into the great hall and heard a sharp voice behind him.

"Professor," He said. Turning to see McGonnagal standing there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had a matter to discuss with you." Harry said to her.

"That's good, I've been trying to reach you. Come up here." She gestured to follow her up the rows of seats. With almost everyone staring at them. They made their way behind the staff table. And she motioned for him to sit down. He did.

This felt odd, but made him smile. There he was, facing the students, the Pupils, all of them eager to soak up knowledge. With other worries then defeating the ultimate evil…That seemed to be the most obvious of their traits.

The New students were sorted by new Deputy Headmaster Professor Flitwick. And as he took the stool, and sorting hat away from the crowd, Professor McGonnagal stood up.

"I know that this may be a hard transition," McGonnagal said. "I am very different from Dumbledore. I will lead this school in a different manner. But for those of you that knew him, those of you who have been here the longest, I leave the words that Albus first spoke to you. Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, and Tweak. That was his idea of welcoming new students. Welcoming you all into a grand magical world. And quite possibly playing with your minds about what's about to come," She said the last part with a grin. "So as Albus said, 'Tuck in!'"

There was a clattering of silverware as the food magically appeared on the plates, the result of hours of labor from the house elves in the kitchen. The staff table was covered also in the finest of delicacies, some of which Harry would not touch, some of which he found soothing to his nervous psyche; like the taste of pumpkin Juice, something he only ever had at Hogwarts. Something that made him feel warm. As though he was happy.

"Now listen," Professor McGonnagal turned to him. "We cannot talk openly here, But I received another parcel in the mail. One from, I believe the same person as last time." Harry took that to mean, from MacNair…another photograph.

"What was…" He began.

"I'll show you afterward. But it was…about headquarters." She said quietly.

"You know about Tonks, Don't you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, We've vacated permanently. We've been having trouble finding a new location. And That's another thing I wanted to ask you."

"Ask me? What?" He asked surprised.

"I can't stop you." She said. "I know that."

There was a long pause in which Harry listened to the bustling, and catching up of old friends.

"But I won't let you do this without the Order backing you up." McGonnagal said.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Harry said. "I mean it. You're quite right, you can't stop me."

"I thought as much. Until we've got a new headquarters, Order meetings are being held in my office, upstairs. I'd really like you to attend." McGonnagal said.

"Yes, Of course," Harry said surprised.

"Your Friend Miss Weasley told me you are looking for an apartment." McGonnagal said, taking a bite of pheasant.

"Yes, I was thinking either…oh honestly I have no idea." He said, diminished.

"I'd like to offer you a place to live." McGonnagal said.

Harry looked over at her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Temporarily. Just until you find a new place." She said.

"Where?" He asked

"Here," She responded. "I have been busy and unable to find teachers to take up the posts of Transfiguration and Defense against the Dark Arts. Professor Grubbly-Plank has returned to take the class until I can find a full-time teacher, but I'm still vacant a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…"

Harry spit pumpkin juice all over his meal. "Oh, God. I'm sorry!" He said, Wiping it up with a napkin. "You're…You're not…"

"I am. I am asking you to take over Defense against the Dark Arts until I can find a permanent teacher…Well…as permanent as it gets here. And in exchange you get free housing, and a steady paycheck." She looked at him. "Can I count on you?"

"Of Course!" Harry wasn't thinking at all. But he was terrified at the prospect of finding an apartment in London.

"It should only be a few weeks. Until I can find a good candidate" She said to him warningly. "You'll have to fill out some paperwork later, and I can give you a copy of the Defense against the Dark Arts Written NEWT, so you can begin to prepare the students.

Harry nodded frequently to show he was listening. He got the Job that Voldemort wanted without trying. It didn't occur to him at that moment exactly what that could mean, she was right, Defense teachers didn't exactly have long Life spans at Hogwarts.

The Rest of the feast passed in a blur. McGonnagal made a speech at the end, announcing that Defense Lessons would not begin until the following week as to give their new teacher time to prepare. She did not, he noticed, tell them who it was.

After the feast the new Prefects and Head Boy and Girl, which were Hermione and Ernie Macmillan, took their respective houses to their common rooms. And the staff slowly dispersed.

"I believe you know where the Defense Against the Dark arts office is?" She said.

"Yes," he responded, standing up.

"If you tap the door from the Inside with your wand, you'll get into your sleeping area. And of course the office and classroom are yours for the time being. I expect you to use this week to prepare. You've got a school budget for things like books and the like, and I'll be informing you of that tomorrow morning, when I'll get you all the paper work." She got up and left leaving him there.

Harry stood up and made his way through the empty hallways up to the defense against the dark arts room. He opened the door and saw the peculiarly empty classroom. The staircase at the end which lead to his office looked inviting as he climbed up and pried open the door. It was empty. There was a desk in the center with bookshelves on the walls. There were a few old copies of books laying on the shelves but nothing much.

He waved his wand and nonverbally brought about the door that they had been storing their traveling bags in. All of his possessions were inside here. And a lot of Dumbledore's as well. He knew there was more of Dumbledore's Possessions in the school that McGonnagal had agreed to give Harry in order to research Voldemort, and ways to kill him. Harry Began to unpack.

This was his office.

It was his. He could do what he wanted. He was teacher. Not a permanent teacher but a teacher still. He understood why McGonnagal offered him the job. At first he thought of the DA but that had nothing to do with it. It was that she wanted him to keep close. She wanted to keep an eye on him. He tapped the door with his wand and a black room with black curtains and the windows covered by black paper. This must be how Snape Left it. He pulled off the black paper. But then got an idea. He pulled down the rest of it, and ran back into the classroom. He covered the windows on either side of the door, Harry had work to do, and this was going to be a big surprise for the students of Hogwarts School.

The Next week Harry spent not thinking about Voldemort for the first time in several months. He was thinking about Defense against the dark arts. How to arm his new students against the Dark Arts until McGonnagal found a new teacher. He spent a good amount of time doing research in Diagon Ally at Flourish and Blott's. He bought several books about The Dark Arts and Defense, and even made a trip to Knockturn ally.

Today was the day, it had been a week, and Harry had learned more about Defense in this week then most of his teachers had ever taught him. Arguments could be made that Both Lupin, and the imposter Moody had taught him a great amount, but the spells he had encountered this week were absolutely amazing.

Harry cracked the door and watched as his first class filed in, eagerly looking around to find out who their mysterious unannounced new Defense teacher was. He was ecstatic when he received his schedule, to find that his first lesson was the seventh year NEWT class. The class in which he would spring the surprise on Ron, Hermione and all the others in his year. Under normal circumstances he would have liked to have seen Malfoy in this position, but he was, of course, absent after the events of last June.

He watched Ron and Hermione walk in chatting to Neville. The two slytherin's Zabini, and one who's name was something like Nott sat next to each other. Ron and Hermione chose a seat near the front. Seamus and Dean sat near them as well. Two Ravenclaw boys walked in, he recognized one as being Terry Boot from the DA. He saw Susan Bones who sat with Hanna Abbot, as the familiar faces of Ernie and Justin took their places. Neville Sat with a Ravenclaw Girl who's name was Mc-something, he couldn't remember what.

The bell rang and Harry watched the class looking around nervously waiting for their new Defense Teacher. He pushed the door from his office open and looked down at the class.

"Good Morning."

Their jaws dropped and they stared up at him in wonder.

"Harry, What the hell are you doing here?" Ron asked, eyes wide.

"I'm about to explain." Harry said. Hermione was speechless and the entire class looked dumbstruck. "As most of you know, I attended the opening feast, but I no longer attend school here."

"Why?" Seamus asked raising his hand.

"Personal Reasons," He said unflinchingly.

"It's got to do with _Him_, doesn't it?" Neville said quietly.

"You could say that." Harry said. Pacing up and down the front of the class. "As I was saying, that night, Professor McGonnagal and I had a long conversation. The events of last June left us devoid of a great amount of staff. No Headmaster, No Defense Teacher, No Transfiguration Teacher. As I'm sure you know, Professor Grubbly-Plank has taken up Transfiguration, but that still left an opening. Defense. So Until Professor McGonnagal and Find a suitable full time teacher, or as full time as a defense teacher can be, I will be sitting in."

There was silence.

"Right, so lets begin shall we…"

There was still silence.

"Who can tell me what Inferi are?" He asked them. Naturally, Hermione and a few others raised their hands. "Hermione."

"Inferi are corpses, re-animated by a spell to do whatever the witch or wizard requires." she recited.

"Excellent, Five points to Gryffendor." He said, smirking and turning his back for a moment, relishing the opportunity to do this. "And who can tell me how to fight Inferi?…No one? Inferi are possibly the most frightening creatures that a particular Dark Wizard will be using to his advantage, and should he survive until you are out of school, you will want to be well armed against them…Yes Hermione.

"But Harry, I mean, surely dementors are…."

"But we know how to fight dementors, don't we?" Harry said. "Even if you can't conjure one, everyone knows what a patronus is. But how do you fight something that's already dead?

"The NEWTs are being re-examined and re-written. They are adding and subtracting questions every day right now, particularly in the defense category. It is a time when your defense is Crucial. The Death Eaters are out there, even more frightening then the Dark Lord himself. The death eaters are people. Wizards who can conceal themselves just by taking off a mask. How often does Voldemort make appearances? It is the Death Eaters you should be afraid of. Without them, he is just one wizard. Without them…" Harry paused, thinking not of the death eaters anymore. "…he is just one man"

Next: The Madness of Hermione Granger


	7. The Madness and the Misery

The week went by, and he still managed to surprise a few of the students when he popped out of the office. But it seemed that the word that Harry Potter was the new Defense against the Dark arts teacher seemed to have gotten around the school.

Ron Weasley sat around the fire with his friends Hermione, Neville, and his sister Ginny. Hermione was just finishing up the reading that Harry had assigned them that night, and was now starting on Arithmancy. Neville was also reading, a magazine that Professor Sprout had given him about Herbology.

"Why'd he have to give us homework?" Ron said Whiningly.

"He's a teacher now, get over it." Hermione said sharply.

"Geez, what's with you?" Ron said looking up at her.

She stared at him for what felt like a full minute before looking down at her book again. "Nothing" she muttered.

"Something," Ron said.

Hermione considered him. The old Ron wouldn't have asked, let alone prodded when a satisfactory answer was not given.

"You're Jealous aren't you?" He asked her with a smirk on his face. "C'mon say it."

It's true. She was jealous, After considering many careers she really wanted to be a teacher. Hermione had mostly given up on SPEW, realizing that she would probably never have enough money or power to go anywhere really positive with it. And since that she really had truly been considering returning to Hogwarts to teach. She looked back down at her book, ignoring Ron.

"Is sitting there reading your book some kind of non-answer?" Ron asked.

She looked up again, annoyed now. "I would like to be a teacher someday, but I'm not jealous of Harry," She lied. "It's good for him, plus it makes sure he's not on the street or anything while he's searching for the Horcruxes."

"You're jealous, You're jealous!" Ron said in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up, I'm not jealous." Hermione kicked his leg softly.

"Ow!" Ron said, sitting down again.

"I don't get jealous over petty things like that," she said, looking at her book again.

"And you're saying I do?" Ron questioned.

"No, I'm…I didn't…" she started.

"You really think that!" He interrupted.

"Well, it's hard not to! You've always been slightly less fortunate then Harry." Hermione recoiled the second she said it. She knew she shouldn't have said that, this was something Ron was always rather touchy about.

"Maybe we should move," Ginny said to Neville, Vacating their seats.

"Hey…Well…There were circumstances and…SHUT UP!"

"Oh 'SHUT UP!' How creative!" Hermione realized now that she was pushing it, but it seemed that it was too late, they'd angered each other.

"If you just admit you're jealous of him then I will!"

"Will you just shut up about that"

"Oh 'Shut up!'" Ron was screaming now. "How CREATIVE!"

"My God, Ron, you are such a prick!"

Ron was at a loss. He turned and walked strait up to their dorm.

"Shit," Hermione ran after him. "Ron, Ron!" She opened their door where Ron had already drawn the curtains around his four poster bed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, It's true. I'm a prick and you're what my bitch!"

"Excuse me? I'm not your anything!" Hermione pulled the curtains out.

"Oh, right, just ignore everything that's happened. Poor Ron, Just push him aside and give everything to Harry!"

"OH SHUT UP, YOU KNOW I DIDN'T MEAN THAT!" She Screamed.

"THEN WHAT DID YOU MEAN?" Ron said. And without warning he lunged at Hermione and Kissed her squarely on the lips. He felt he pushing back. Kissing him too. It had finally happened, in that moment, Ron did not know what he was thinking. But as their tongues played with each other in their mouths he knew it was the right decision. Hermione fell on the bed, and Ron followed. Kissing his way down her face, first her forehead, her nose, her lips, her neck.

Hermione reached up and grabbed his shirt.

"Hermione…." He was about to protest, but she grabbed his hair and pulled their faces together again. He felt her hands running up and down his back. Feeling his skin. She pulled him closer feeling his body rub against hers as she kissed him. She felt a substantial amount of muscles there, and started to kiss his neck. She threw him underneath her on the bed and began kissing her way down his chest. She felt his pecs and abs. She jumped up and started kissing him again.

"Hermione…." He moaned as he felt her undoing the jeans that he was wearing. She jumped up and kissed him yet again.

"Hermione."

3 Months Ago

"Ms. Orva" a man wearing all black stood outside the door that led to where the Dark Lord was Sitting.

"Severus." Ms. Orva said. She looked up and down the man. He had greasy black hair, and a pale sallow face.

"Is he here?" Orva asked him.

"Yes he is, He's seeing someone else right now. It seems the new head of Auror Office Marie Leona has been making trouble." He said calmly.

"Well that's her job, isn't it," She smiled. "How long will he be?"

"Hopefully not much longer. They've been talking for nearly an hour now," he said bitterly. He clearly did not enjoy this position. While Dawn Orva did not work for the Dark Lord, the news that this man had killed Albus Dumbledore had been all over the news. They tried to keep it quiet but there was a huge scandal when it came out.

The door opened and a man wearing a white cloak exited the room, nodding to Snape and not acknowledging Dawn in any way. Snape entered the room that the man had just left. He stepped out Quickly.

"Yes, Ms. Orva, he'll see you now," he looked a bit shaken but held the metallic door open for her to walk through. She did and he shut it behind her.

The door led to a hallway. Dressed in the same metallic coating. Bolts sticking out. _Prisons,_ she thought to herself. They were always so bland and depressing. If you were innocent when they chucked you in here, you'd be perfectly capable of anything when you came out. She turned to a second Metallic door, where she knew the dark lord was. She lifted her hand to knock.

"Enter," He said, before she made a sound.

"Afternoon, My lord," She said pulling the door open.

"I am not your lord." He said quietly. "Do not address me as such."

"Yes, Sir." Dawn Orva sat down in a chair next to where the Dark Lord was sitting. "You called me here, and I have answered.

"Yes," He said. He would not look at her. But she looked at him. He had seen the dark lord before, and was no longer startled by his strange appearance.

"Not to be impatient, but I would like to get to work immediately." She said.

"I know you already know the job." He said.

"The boy of course."

"Naturally."

"I will be requiring the use of one of the Death Eaters." Dawn said to him in a business-like manner.

"Of course. Any requests?" He asked running his hand though the smoke he had just conjured with his wand.

"Someone with a brain. I don't mean a lackie, hanger-on, I need someone who'll follow orders and do it right. This is very sensitive." She said.

"What exactly is your plan?" He said slowly.

"You don't know?" She said slyly.

"Touché" He said, smiling for the first time in memory. "Take MacNair, or Lucious. Either one."

"MacNair will be less high profile. The Malfoys are famous. MacNair will be much less high profile. It would be amiss to alert the boy of Lucius's freedom. Or Semi-Freedom." She corrected herself.

"Should the order be alerted to the fact that you've….Gained…Azkaban." She began.

"Of Course. I Must thank you for your services, and will help you will anything you require." The dark lord said uncharacteristically.

"You really want this boy dead don't you?" She said. "There has been some bad luck in the past, but that is over now."

"Yes it is. For Both of us. Go, now. I shall remain here should ever you need me."

And with those words from the dark lord himself. The Woman exited the room, and ventured back down the hall, passed Severus with a nod, and found herself back out in the rain of the island.

A pack of dementors swooped all around the island, she could barely see through all the fog. Another man with a black cloak wearing a mask took her hand and led her up to the building where she could floo out. Any apparition would obviously alert the ministry to their locations.

A Dementor sweeped in front of her, and that awful feeling cascaded through her body. _Prisons._


	8. Footprints

**Hey Everyone. This one's going to be kind of short. I've been busy this week, but I really wanted to keep this in the top area, I have a tendency to update at odd times and then no one reads it, so I wanted to change that with this chapter. I'm really hoping this goes the way I want it to go, so for the first time I'm really going to try to finish this. So here you go enjoy!**

Chapter 8

Footprints

"What about the Goblet of Fire?"

The famous foursome sat in the living room of the Burrow, scanning through every book ever that could possibly be connected to Voldemort and Hogwarts. Something that could be the object of Gryffendor's or Ravenclaw's.

"I know," Ron said. "It's a stretch, but it is very connected to the school…and well he liked the connection…to the school…damn, I'm very stupid." He said and frustratingly closed his book.

"We're all running on empty here," Hermione said.

"We've found one!" Professor McGonnagal ran into the room from the kitchen.

"Professor McGonnagal, when did you get here?" Ginny asked.

"Not important, we've found one of the Horcruxes."

"Where?"

"After several months we believe we've finally discovered the final resting place of his mother, Merope Gaunt. And We have reason to believe that he hid one there. We don't know which one or even if we're right. But we're going. I thought I should inform you." McGonnagal said as Mr. And Mrs. Weasley entered the room.

"Who all is going?" Harry asked quietly.

"Myself, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Lupin, Moody, and Bill." McGonnagal said, with a look on her eye as though she knew what was coming.

"We're coming too." Harry said, standing. The others did not hesitate they all stood up as well.

"You bloody well are not," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Dumbledore told me that I was to go and find the Horcruxes." he was addressing McGonnagal, not anyone else. "You know I have to go."

"Potter, I…"

"One must die at the hands of the other, for neither shall live while the other survives." He recited to her. If it was up to her, he knew right then she would have let them go.

"Ginny, you're staying here," Bill said.

"They're all staying here!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

"Molly…" McGonnagal said. "Harry, Ron, and Hermione are coming…They are of age, and they….Harry has the right."

"Well then Ginny is staying here." She pleaded.

"I have no say in this matter. If it was up to me, Miss Weasley would stay behind." She said.

"No, I'm coming." She said.

Harry knew she couldn't come. He'd gotten over the noble hero thing, realizing that Ginny was involved whether he wanted her to be or not. But he knew the only way they would go is if Ginny stayed behind.

"We'll take you to headquarters…" Lupin said.

"No, I'm coming, Harry tell them!" She almost screamed. All eyes turned to Harry.

He walked over and kissed her forehead. "I have a power the Dark Lord knows not," he whispered in her ear. "To Love. Ginny, I am in Love with you. And I need to keep loving. I need you to keep living, and I need you to keep loving with me. Without you…love is…gone…broken. You were right in front of my face for so long…I can't lose you now."

Her eyes had gone watery. He knew she accepted it. "We'll drop you off at headquarters, you'll be safe there." He stood up and they walked to the fire.

"Harry," Hermione said from the corner…. "We've overlooked something large."

"Hmm?" He turned to see Hermione at the fireplace holding a bag of floo powder, but staring at the mantle.

"Fuck"

He put Ginny down and they all gathered around the mantle. Taped on to one of the photos was another Muggle Polaroid picture.

"Damn, it's been months, I thought he may have…" McGonnagal said, trailing off.

"What is it?" Ron asked from the other side of the room.

Harry tore it off and ripped it in two. "A Picture of Merope's Grave."

"Ms. Orva, I've been wondering when I'd be seeing you." Severus Snape stood in the same positions as her last visit. Directly in front of the door leading to Voldemort's sitting room. "I will not lie, he is angry, and rest assured he knows you are here, and does not wish to speak with you."

"Thank you, Severus." She said unsmilingly. "Just give him a message for me. MacNair is dead. I need to borrow Lucious if he still wants my services. I do not expect an answer soon, so until then I will continue the plan to the best of my ability."

They stared. "Do you have all that, or would you like me to repeat it?"

"The message will be delivered. Go, now." He said with an unreadable expression.

After a moment he opened the door.

"What do you think?" He asked as the Dark Lord made his way over the threshold.

"She is being reckless. She will get herself killed."

"Shall I ask her to resign then?"

"I don't really have a problem with the scenario I've just outlined. If she gets it done, she will be honored, if not…well…I'm not getting any older." He sneered.

Snape disliked the situation that he had been put it. He could not show his face or perform any duties for his Master. The only one he had now that…well…

It was not as though Severus had no feeling for it. He felt very greatly toward the killing of Albus Dumbledore. But now…what choice did he have. He could not do anything but protect the Malfoy Boy, and he could not show his face in public either. He felt trapped, isolated, as though he would never be happy again. He supposed that wasn't a problem for the Dark Lord, but it was all he could do to not go completely mad. The boy was getting worse and worse, bitter about not killing Dumbledore, bitter about having to stay inside all the time, and of course the Dementors weren't helping.

He looked up through the window of his room…or at least, the cell to which he had been assigned to sleep, there was no blue sky, no birds. He missed Hogwarts Castle so. He would have given anything to return at that moment. His life had grown considerably in complications since last June. But it was September now, nearing October, and it was time to move on.

He was not Loyal to the Dark lord now, but he COULD not be loyal to the Order anymore either. And should he reveal anything about the true events of last June, he knew that both sides would kill him, and if he left Draco's side, he would die.

No…he thought to himself. He disliked the situation very much.

It was time…he thought that I free both Draco and I of this curse. I believe that we will be paying a visit to Hogwarts this Sunday.

Next: The Inheritance


	9. The Inheiritance

It had been nearly two weeks, since they had found the photograph in the Burrow. They had completely evacuated the Weasley household for the time being, and all the family as well as Harry and Hermione, were currently living at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, with McGonnagal coming and giving Ron, Hermione, and Ginny their work from school, as Harry sent work for his students the next day.  
Minerva had been taking over defense lessons while Harry and the others were away, but she was beginning to get tired of it. They had not found another photo since the picture on the Weasley's mantle, and she was prepared to allow them all to come out of hiding.  
She sat in her study; going over the essays the defense students had handed in, when she heard a familiar voice from off on her right.  
"Evening Professor," She looked up, Albus, who had been sleeping or out non-stop ever since she got back from the Weasley's that night.  
"Good Evening, Albus," she said.  
"You look tired, how are you?" He asked politely.  
"I'm…well, yes, I'm tired but I'll be fine."  
"Have you come into any new developments on the case of those mysterious photographs?"  
"I'm afraid not. I'm considering just letting them all resume daily life. It seems fruitless allowing them so scare us into defensive mode when we are so close to one of the Horcruxes. I think it needs to happen soon. If it's true that the Dark Lord knows what we are doing, we need to move quickly before he has more time to prepare. Whatever is going to happen...we need to be at full strength."  
"I think so...yes..." he whispered after a moment.  
"Hmm?"  
"There is a room...in the castle, which not even I knew about until a few years ago." He said quietly. "A room that holds many of my earthly possessions. I have been avoiding allowing the order to enter it because I know that it will only put Harry and the others in more danger."  
"What do you mean? I don't understand."  
"Below Severus' old office, I keep my belongings. Books, spells, potions, that I believe may help."  
"What?" McGonnagal said, shocked. "Why have I never been informed of this?"  
"Because those items are not for you..."  
"What? But you said they could help?" She said, questioningly.  
"In that room, is the Inheritance of Mr. Harry Potter."  
"Inheritance? What? From who?"  
"Me."

"But where are we going?"  
"Don't ask questions!" Severus Snape hissed at the Malfoy Boy. He was getting on his last nerve. He and Draco packed their belongings; they were going to leave this place.  
"But, I don't understand, we can't just leave, he'll kill us!"  
"KEEP YOU VOICE DOWN!" Snape yelled. And realizing what he'd just done quieted himself again. "It is only a matter of time before the Dark Lord kills us both."  
Draco looked startled. "We need protection." Snape Continued. "We both need protection! This assassin he's hired, if that's even the right word, when she's done with Potter she'll come for us. I am no use to the Dark Lord now that the Order of the Phoenix knows that I killed Albus Dumbledore, and you are no use to the Dark Lord because he believes you a pathetic underage wizard. You don't even turn 17 until the end of the year. You are no use to him anymore...And do you know what happens to people he cannot use? He kills them, or leaves them in the dirt to rot!"  
Draco continued looking startled for a moment but then bent down and shoved a pair of socks into his suitcase. "What's your plan exactly?"  
"We will be paying a visit to Hogwarts..."

"Potter, Granger, Weasley...s" Professor McGonnagal walked into the living room of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place where Harry and Ron were playing chess. "I have something to show you."  
They made their way to the castle, which was still occupied by bustling students, and they made their way down to the dungeon which had once belonged to Severus Snape.  
"Down here?" Ginny asked. "He kept it down here?"  
No on answered. McGonnagal had explained that it was in fact Dumbledore's possessions, and he believed they could help on the search for the Horcruxes.  
"Below...um...Slughorn's Office." She replied nervously.  
They entered the main dungeon hall, in which Snape's...or Slughorn's Office as is more accurate, was located, as well as the main potions classroom, and a few unused dungeons as well. They turned into the office where Harry had had many-a-detention. It was different now. Slughorn had redecorated, but there was no way to disguise the mildew and dampness of the underground dungeons.  
The five of them stood there, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Professor McGonnagal.  
"Where is it?" Someone asked.  
They all looked up at McGonnagal; she was staring at the Oriental rug in the center of the room. "Help me move this."  
Harry was confused. He hid it under a rug? It couldn't be that simple.  
"I cannot open it. Only Harry can." She said slowly. The others lifted up the run as Harry stared at Professor McGonnagal.  
"Me? Are you sure?"  
"Albus knew magics that most people couldn't dream of." She said, as if this answered his question.  
"What do I do?" He asked.  
"Lift."  
"Lift?"  
"It's a sword in the stone conundrum. I can't lift it, only you can." She demonstrated.  
Harry knelt down the easily the stone slid away. He saw McGonnagal's eyes widen.  
"I should go first." She said. "In case there are any more...safeguards."  
Safeguards. Harry was reminded momentarily of the guards around the Horcruxes. What might be waiting for them at Merope Gaunt's tomb? Worse then what happened at the cave? If Dumbledore was so weakened by the Horcrux, what would happen to the others?  
"Damnit...What's going on?" She was trying to force her way through the hole Harry had created. "My foot won't go through. Hermione pressed her foot down, and they rested all of her weight.  
"I can't either. Maybe..."  
"Maybe only Harry..." Hermione and McGonnagal moved their feet and the others all stared down at him.  
Without waiting for instruction he reached into the hole...and met no barrier. Harry Pulled out his wand and muttered "Lumos" there was a spiral staircase that led down into the depths.  
"Well..." he said. "Be back in a minute then." He turned and looked down the stairs. "Why couldn't he have hidden it in a tower or something?" He took a step and heard a creak. This was not going to be fun. He made his way down the dark and creaky stairs. After about a minute he was still journeying with no end it sight. The light from the dungeon above had faded as he continued down the steps. Where did it end? He thought to himself just as he felt his foot his hard ground...Oh.  
He saw a torch next to the staircase and quickly lit it with his wand.  
In a rush of flame, the fire shot into the air and landed in a perfect arc on the other side of the room, some fifty feet in front of him. Harry backed against the wall as the flame bounced again. Lighting several other torches throughout the room. There were tens of trunks around on the ground. Books lined the walls. Gadgets and gizmos whirred to life. Shelves upon shelves of earthly possessions, including, he noticed, Godric Gryffindor's Sword.  
He looked at the bookcases; the books were all old and close to rotting. Books of Dark Magic, books about obscure things, books with titles he couldn't pronounce, and books in several other languages, some, he was fairly certain, may not have even been human languages. Books about the relationship between magic and the world, even a book about creating your own spell, all lined the walls.  
He looked to the stairs, considering trying to get the others down here. He noticed the penseive behind the staircase. One of the most important possessions he had in Harry's eyes. Maybe he could have the chance to examine it. Just because someone is dead, their memories were still on this plane.  
"Oscuro" he muttered and the lamps all went out. He turned, and with deliberation, apperated up to the dungeon above.

With a loud CRACK he apparated into Slughorn's office.  
"Damnit, Harry," Hermione said.  
"What is it?" Ginny asked.  
"What is down there, Potter?" McGonnagal asked.  
"Lots of stuff. I don't know if I'll be able to get it out. Some of it...some of it I'll need to move to Headquarters. His penseive is down there, that'll be important."  
"I was wondering what happened to that." She muttered.  
He apparated back town and with a flick of his wand, he transported all of Albus Dumbledore's belongings to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Draco was finally being quiet. They both stood in a small room off the main hall, as a group of death eaters walked by, returning from a mission.  
"Oh, Forget it." Snape turned to the back wall and muttered "Sero Hensive" He grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him toward the wall. They passed through it as though it was nothing. Snape muttered something that sounded a bit like Priori Incantatum but Draco knew it couldn't possibly be that. Snape was inching slowly along the walls. Draco didn't dare say anything now, even if he wanted to, he was too scared. He would never see his mother or father again, and he was going to a school which housed people who hated him. He had no idea what Snape's plan was exactly, all he had said was "We'll be paying a visit to Hogwarts" something he wasn't keen to do.  
"DAMNIT!" Snape screamed as a dementor appeared in front of him. It moaned and started toward them.  
"Please move out of my way, I'm on business for the Dark Lord." It did not back down. Draco was trying to remember the spell, it was Patronum...something. He wasn't sure.  
"AVADA KADAVRA!" A Green light flashed from Snape's wand and the dementor writhed. The hood fell off its rotting body and he saw its head...or its mouth...it was hard to described shriveling in pain. What was going on? Avada Kadavra kills? Why was this Dementor being tortured? The cloak suddenly dropped to the ground, and the shriveled figure had vanished. Draco stared in a combination of Disgust and Horror. Snape seemed unphased.  
He moved along the wall again, they were nearing the floo building. How were they going to get in? Run? What was Snape's plan?  
He looked out over the corner of the building and saw his father making his way down to the prison. He dared not call out. Snape looked down at him, as if giving him a look that said if you call out you will suffer the same fate at that dementor.  
His father entered the building and Snape quickly led him up to the entrance of the building. Behind the door he used a nonverbal spell to stupefy the guard. The building was, other them that, unprotected.  
Snape pulled him into the building and threw some powder into the fire. He screamed, "The Office of Severus Snape"

Draco was whirling around, green fire all around him. He fell unexpectedly soon out into the office of Horace Slughorn, which apparently had still been called the office of Severus Snape in the floo network.  
This looked different. He had no been in the office since it had been Snape's. Slughorn had really brightened it up. He was in a dungeon...If he wanted a brighter office he should have checked out one of the towers for God's sake.  
Snape fell out of the green flames that had erupted in Slughorn's fireplace...and that's another thing, why the hell was there a fireplace in a dungeon? Was that even there when Snape had this office, and if it was, what was he thinking?  
Snape bent down and removed one of the stone tiles.  
"Wait, no, Draco, you try," He told him.  
"What?" Draco asked, Confused.  
"Try pulling open the panel, only a few people can do it. I'm not sure if you're worthy to be honest with you," He said frankly.  
Draco bent down and easily removed the stone tile. "Now what?"  
"I knew it. Dumbledore must have foreseen this. If he did, maybe there's a way we can protect you, and possibly me. The unbreakable vow I took with your mother may be broken, but there's still a residual amount of protection laid upon me." He steps into the hole and Draco saw that there was a long staircase winding down from below the tile. HE stepped on behind Snape, and they made their way down.  
After a minute, Draco saw flame erupt and shoot across the room just a few feet below him. He dismounted the stairs and watched the fire shoot across the room, lighting a set of torches.  
Snape stood there for a moment with a terrified look on his face.  
"It's gone,"  
"What's gone?" Draco looked across the room. Various trunks lay strewn unceremoniously across the floor. The bookcases along the walls were mostly bare, with only a few books lying around. Shelves which looked as thought they had once been in Dumbledore's office, those stupid obnoxious whirring instruments that no one could ever explain what were.  
"There should be more than this. Someone's been here." He said worried. He ran to one of the trunks, opened it and found a few folded sets of robes. "No...No...where is it!"  
Snape almost shouted this last part. What was he looking for? Whose is this? Snape ran across the room with a look he'd never seen before. Snape was scared.  
"Who could have taken it? Why?"  
"All due respect, sir. Who's taken what?" Draco asked cautiously.  
"This is Dumbledore's storeroom. When he died, I was instructed to take all of his earthly possessions down here. In the secret room under my office, which I confess I did not know was there." He looked around and opened one last trunk. But was unsuccessful once more. This one was entirely empty.  
"DAMNIT! OW!" He kicked the trunk in anger, but it did not budge. He grabbed his foot in pain, but was looking down at the trunk with a sly look on his face. "Can it really be so simple?"  
Draco walked toward his teacher, who's mood had shifted quickly. He was looking at the empty trunk and smiling.  
"I don't think I can open this one." He said.  
"Who do you think can?"  
"You."  
Draco had to admit, he was startled. He knelt over the trunk and tried to lift it up.  
"No, not like that." He said. "The Center."  
He looked inside and pushed down the wallpaper-like interior of the box. And another hole appeared.  
"It's down here." Snape steped inside the box and made his way down a second spirel staircase. Draco followed, back down further into the darkness. He couldn't help but think that this was going to be a bitch to climb back up.  
He saw the fire, jumping from torch to torch again. And made his way into the second room. This one was smaller. The walls were lined with shelves the left wall had small clear bottles with white glowing contents in them. Each labeled differently. The right wall, and also spilling onto the far wall had bottles like that, only with colored contents. And the far wall, in the area not taken up by the glowing colored bottles, were lots of mysterious looking objects, most of which, Draco could not recognize.  
Snape walked over to the side with the colored bottles, and Draco to the white ones. He examined a label. "Severus Snape, January 12th 1951"  
"Sir, This bottle is labeled with your name!" He called from across the room.  
"Yes, it would be. Many of them are. They are memories Draco." He said half-casually.  
He looked around. He defiantly saw some obscure ones. There was one labeled "Narcissa Malfoy, October 13th, 1979" and "Morphin Gaunt, Exact date Unknown" He recognized the name Gaunt. They were Slytherin's heirs, the last known keepers of his locket. The only known relic of Salazar Slytherin and they had lost it.  
"Aberforth Dumbledore, July 8th, 1931" He said aloud. "Was that Dumbledore's Father?"  
"No, you silly boy. Aberforth is Dumbledore's brother. He's still alive." Snape said with discontent in his voice. "It's not here. DAMNIT IT'S NOT HERE!" He picked up an orange bottle and threw it across the room landing at Draco's feet. The cork came loose and the orange smoke shot up at Draco. He fell over, he inhaled some smoke and gagged. On his knees now, Snape ran over to his side. Draco couldn't breathe.  
Couldn't...  
Breathe...  
Snape flicked his wand, and rapped it against his throat in frustration. Draco coughed as his airway cleared.  
"What the hell was that!"  
"I'm sorry, that was...unintentional." Snape said, without offering any explanation.  
"What are those things?" Draco asked, annoyed now more than anything.  
"They are spells, most potant magics even a wizard as...astute...as professor Dumbledore had trouble controlling them. He contained them and hid them away whenever he managed to perform one. For special circumstances."  
"What do you mean? What kind of spells?" He stood up, revived from his choking experience.  
"Well...the kind that can be lethal, obviously," He said unflinchingly. "I am sorry, that was an inappropriate outburst." He flicked his wand and the shards of glass from the broken bottle vanished. He returned to the shelves of spells. Draco walked up by his side, and examined a line of them.  
"They're not labeled?" He asked, looking at the swirling, glowing bottles.  
"Some are, please get out of my way." He looked down at the shelf Draco had been examining.  
Draco walked back over to the memories, all of these were labeled. Damnit, what was going on? Florance Fornax, July 31st 1989. Dawn Orva, November 12th, 1976. Dawn Orva...he recognized that name. And Florance Fornax sounded familiar too.  
"Ah. Yes. Here it is." Draco turned around. Snape was staring at the shelf, blocking the spell from view. "No...So crude."  
"What's crude?"  
"This...isn't...a spell. It's a potion. But it's missing an ingredient."  
"A Potion? What kind of potion?"  
"We do not have time now. Draco, I am about to put you in some pain. I am sorry but it is best in the long run. I promise when you wake up...this will all be over."  
"Wake up?"  
"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

Notes: **This is where I've really been leading for a long time. The only reason I didn't write this earlier is because I needed lots of other stuff to come first in order for this go make sense and go in order. I've been dying to write these scenes from the beginning. I hope the Trio stuff didn't sound too rushed, for now, I hate to say it but I'm a lot more interested in the Snape/Draco Plot line. But, I also brought the trio down there for a reason. And don't worry, all the questions I've asked...They'll be answered soon enough. I promise it's full of plot holes for a reason. R+R please!**

Next: No Good Deed


	10. No Good Deed

Chapter 8  
No Good Deed

"May I ask what all of this is?" Mrs. Weasley entered Number 12 Grimmauld place, which was now littered with Harry's Inheritance from Dumbledore.

"Harry's inheritance." Ginny said calmly. Behind her, Hermione was reading one of Dumbledore's books.

"Oh, is this the thing from the castle? Oh, yes, Minerva told me all about this. Said she thinks it'll be very useful." She said. Mrs. Weasley was carrying two brown bags, over flowing with bread. "Where are the boys?"

"Eating, in the kitchen" Hermione slammed her book shut. "where else?"  
Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny joined the group of Harry, Ron, Bill, and Lupin who were all eating sandwiches and chatting around the table.

I come bearing bread." Mrs. Weasley said, setting the brown bags on the counter.

"Oh, thank you, Molly," Lupin said with a smile on his face.

"Where's Fleur? I was hoping she would...never mind it's not important." Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Oh, she's in France. We agreed it would really be best if she returned to her family for a little while. She'll be back as soon as this is all over." Bill said.

"Well, that's that, then," Mrs. Weasley said as she began to cut the bread. "Ah, Minerva."

Professor McGonnagal entered the room. Her mouth as thin as Harry had ever remembered it. "Hello, Molly, Bill, Remus. Harry, I need a word with you."

"Alright, professor." He said getting up.

"In private if you don't mind." She motioned to the door. He walked over the threshold and she followed him.

"What is it?"

"Hang on," She quickly put imperturbable charms on each entrance to the dinning room, and then with a quick flick, made them sound proof.

"This is awfully, ominous." Harry said.

"This is very important. You are not going to like what I am about to say." She said, gravely.

"Oh, my God. Is everyone alright? The School, was there an attack?"

"No," She interrupted, holding her hand up. "No, everyone's fine. Well...maybe...well, that's what we're her to discuss."

"I'm not sure I follow, professor." He said.

"You of course remember that several months ago, Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy were both involved in the murder of Hogwarts' Headmaster Albus Dumbledore." She sounded as though she had been working out exactly what to say for some time.

"Naturally," He said, tilting his head. "What is this about."

"I...Well...I'll just say it...I came in contact, for a brief moment today, with my old Colleague, Severus Snape."

"What?" Harry said, half not hearing her, half waiting for an explanation.

"He called upon my office today. But it wasn't about him. It was about Draco."

"Professor, you can't..."

"PLEASE...Let me finish. And then I'll ask your opinion. I would not have come to you under normal circumstances. But the circumstances these days can hardly be considered normal. Either let me finish, or leave this room." She said, her face was sinking now.

Harry motioned with his head, as thought he would not speak anymore. But now their expressions matched.

"He told me a...very convincing story, that he and Draco have both been in hiding with the Dark Lord. And that it's only a matter of time before he kills both Draco and himself. But he did not come to me to save himself...More then a year ago, Narcissa Malfoy came to him, and he took an unbreakable vow to help and protect Draco. And he knows that he will fail. The Dark Lord will kill them both in a short period of time. Snape has been forced to be somewhat of a gatekeeper, where The dark lord is hiding. He could not tell me the location, as it protected by similar magics as our own Headquarters. I trust you are familiar with the Fidilius charm?"

Harry nodded.

"Well...He and Draco made the decision to leave. To find protection wherever they could. Snape can no longer be loyal to the dark lord, and he knows he can never be loyal to us again. So you see he is neutral. But that's not what this is about. Snape has performed a very complex bit of magic, Draco's body has essentially vanished. And His soul is currently living inside a small bottle. When the bottle is uncorked, his body will reappear, and he will not have aged, and no time will have passed. It is a most effective protection. But still Snape wants more. He wants to hide Draco's soul inside #12 Grimmauld Place. Anywhere, just somewhere that they cannot get to him."

"It's just like a HORCRUX! I WILL NOT HAVE SOMETHING THAT...UNCLEAN IN MY HOUSE!"

"No, IT'S NOTHING LIKE A HORCRUX. Draco's soul is intact. And the second he gets out of that bottle everything will be back together for him...Potter. This is Draco Malfoy's only chance to Survive this war. I came to you to ask for your help. And your permission, and you advice. And now I'd like to know it."

Harry stared at her. He was thinking no thoughts. Just staring. And she stared back.

"Harry...This really is the only way" she said after several minutes.

"I know." He looked down at the ground, without lifting his eyes, he said, "Bring him here. Hide him wherever you want. But if you come in contact with Snape again...I want to know."

She looked almost startled. For the first time, They stood facing each other. Harry was so tall now, he almost towered above Professor McGonnagal. He had a stern look on his face. And she had an unreadable expression. She backed away. He was the authority figure here. Neither can live while the other survives.

"Very well. Thank you, Harry." She did not make eye contact with him again. She flicked her wand and the spells on the doors lifted. "Enjoy your lunch." She said, and she dissapparated.

**Short, I know. I tried to flesh it out, but I really just wanted this much to happen in a chapter. I was originally was going to have both the McGonnagal/Snape scene an the McGonnagal/Harry scene, but I realized I could convey all the info in just the McGonnagal/Harry scene. So, there you are. I really hope you all like this, I've been working towards these big set ups for a long time. This and the inheritance are both absolutely pivotal chapters, and I really hope that you've started to catch some of what's to come. If you haven't...well I'll just have to keep writing this.**

If you've seen my profile you know I'm sort of a sporadic writer. I've only ever finished two or three pieces before. But I really like this one. This one has been brewing in my head for a long time. In Fact this evolved out a sixth book fic that's partially up, (by the way, it's god-awful don't read it) and it was called Veritas, an amazingly overused name. The Basic plot revolved around Filch's Family tree and how he is somehow related to Voldemort by Marriage somewhere in his line, and that his family had the key to a temple which held the source of Voldy's power. That whole plot line got abandoned when it evolved into the Seventh book, and not the sixth one. I'm sorry, I'm rambling now, why did I bring this up? Oh right, to show you that I'm not abandoning this. And if I do, it's because it's evolved again...into something even better.


End file.
